The Other Side of Hope(Toivon tuolla puolen)

Back to his hometown for another coolly comicand sympathetic take on the refugee crisis, Aki brings together two men from different worlds– a sour Helsinki restaurateur and a fleeing Syrian asylum seeker – who forge an unlikely but mutually enriching friendship, navigating the hardship and heartbreak to begin life anew. Covering a serious refugee story with an unworldly absurdity, the Berlinale Best Director never fails to combine poignancy with torrentsof laughter – not unlike the taste of the salted herring sushi loaded with wasabi – to speak of selfless compassion without sentimentality, and beliefs of hope in an unforgiving world.

Berlin International Film Festival: Silver Bear for Best Director